Rings that are compressed diametrically inward to facilitate the ring entering a female bore provided with a groove, of larger diameter than the bore, that has been provided in the bore to retain the ring when the ring was positioned so that the ring could expand into the groove, have been used for years.
These "internal retaining" rings are provided with two holes near the gap in the ring (that allows compression of the ring)-so that two prongs of a pliers like tool may engage the two holes and facilitate diametric compression of the ring for assembly or removal of the ring from the bore groove.
This invention concerns the use of provisions that are a part of the ring that cooperate with provisions that are associated with the male part that is to be retained in a bore by the ring, which allow the part to be merely pushed into the bore and retained by the ring in the bore. The pliers that are normally required are then only required for the removal of the male part from the female bore.
For the circumstances that can utilize this type of configuration, a considerable cost savings is thus obtainable. This savings more than offsets the added cost of providing the means herein disclosed, and there is a general improvement in the reliability that is associated with the installation of internal retaining rings.
When using the configuration disclosed herein, the diametric compression of the ring is accomplished by forcing the ring into a tapered bore that leads to the bore that is provided with the ring groove.
The recognition that a small angle chamfer will cause a ring to be squeezed to this extent is not new either. People who use these internal retaining rings do not normally use a chamfer to squeeze the rings because that is not reliable, or the cost to them of doing so is too great because of the length or depth of the chamfer is large, and the cost of the space is too great. The usual problem that one faces includes the concentricity of the ring. It does not seem like a large number that is involved but the ring must be allowed enough clearance to anything that passes through the ring to permit squeezing the ring enough to enter the bore. This of course requires that the ring can have a concentricity that would require a large entry diameter of the chamfer.
There is also the problem of the plane of the surface of the ring not staying perpendicular with the axis of the chamfer, this condition is more often harmful than helpful when one is installing a ring.
One is therefore faced with finding a solution which satisfies the requirements of a number of problems. First, one must have a solution which minimizes the entry diameter of a chamfer that is of an angle that is small enough to cause the ring to squeeze down with low applied force, given the mechanical squeeze properties of a ring that is "strong" enough for the retention required. Second, the solution must be in keeping with reasonable manufacturing requirements. Third, the thing which pushes the ring into engagement with the ring engaging groove must maintain sufficient perpendicularity to the chamfer and bore axis. Fourth, the cost of what is done must be low, or not too many will use the means, and so on. When one considers all that must be "satisfied" by a "workable" solution, it is not too surprising when one finds that ring installation is not done this way.
The method disclosed herein addresses these problems by providing a "pusher" that cooperates with provisions that are provided on the ring. The ring must squeeze to a smaller diameter to enter the bore, spring outward in diameter to "lock" into the groove, and if one desires to have the ring preassembled to the part that is "pushed-in", the ring must spring further outward from its free (as shipped) diameter so as to spring back to its free diameter after assembly to the part that the ring is pushed over. For ease of discussion the part that is pushed into the bore will be called the male, and the bore will be called the female.
Because of the springing that must be done by the ring, the outer periphery of the ring must be free to spring outward or inward. The inner portion of the ring must accommodate the male which will be retained by the ring, and the portion between the outer spring arms of the ring and the male must provide space for the outer ring arm compression, as well as any provision for maintaining ring concentricity to the male.
Any provisions made that maintain ring concentricity to the male are thus done in this intermediate area. The purpose of these provisions would be to maintain the concentricity of the ring to the male, so that one installing the male into the female could merely establish the concentricity of the male to the female, and the ring would be concentric with the chamfer leading to the female bore.
If one further had a portion of the male, that extends beyond the ring, enter a concentric bore in the female, then the concentricity of the ring and chamfer would be greatly facilitated.